The Expression of Murine Double Minute 2 (MDM2) on Helicobacter pylori-Infected Intestinal Metaplasia and Gastric Cancer

The overexpression of murine double minute 2 (MDM2) is found in several human tumors, and increased expression of MDM2 inactivates the apoptotic and cell cycle arrest function of p53. Interleukin-16 (IL-16) is a pleiotrophic cytokine and the properties of IL-16 suggest that it involve in the pathophysiological process of chronic inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigated the expression of MDM2 in intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancer as well as the effect of H. pylori infection and IL-16 on epithelial cell proliferation and MDM2 expression in gastric cells in vitro. The expression of MDM2 on gastric biopsies was studied immunohistochemistry. AGS cells were incubated with a combination of IL-16 and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Gastric epithelial cell proliferation was studied by BrdU uptake and the expressions of MDM2 were studied by ELISA. There was no significant difference on the expression of MDM2 between with and without H. pylori infected chronic gastritis. In H. pylori infected gastric mucosa; the MDM2 expression was higher on intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancer than chronic gastritis. IL-16 administration was increased MDM2 expression and cell proliferation on AGS cells, which was decreased by H. pylori infection. In conclusion, the expression of MDM2 in long-term H. pylori infected gastric mucosa may indicate a risk for carcinogenesis. IL-16 secretion in H. pylori infected mucosa is one of the factors for gastric cancer. The expression of MDM2 on mucosa can be a mediator for gastric cancer

Expression of Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 in the Livers of Rats Treated with Diethylnitrosamine

It has been reported that levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the blood are elevated in hepatocellular carcinoma patients. In the present study, serial observations of the localization of ICAM-1 in the liver were made by light and electron microscopy in rats with carcinogen-induced cancer. Male Fisher rats were given diethylnitrosamine (DEN) orally in their drinking water. Rats were sacrificed at 6, 8, 12, or 14 weeks after the start of DEN administration and the liver tissue was collected. ICAM-1 expression in liver was assessed using indirect immunoperoxidase staining with anti-rat ICAM-1 antibody. Although ICAM-1 expression by endothelial cells in livers of DEN-treated rats was lower than in the control group at 8 weeks, it was higher in the membrane and cytoplasm of hepatocytes. The expression of ICAM-1 in mesenchymal cells was decreased, paralleling development of cellular atypia, whereas in hepatocyte membranes and cytoplasm it was increased in these atypia. ICAM-1 was localized to the cytoplasm of cancer cells, but to the membrane of hepatocytes in the treated livers at 14 weeks. Furthermore, the levels of ICAM-1 in mesenchymal cells tended to be lower in the cancerous area than in the atypical hyperplastic nodule, and were reduced as the density of cell atypia increased, in comparison to cells in areas without cancerous nodules. We concluded that ICAM-1 may be influenced the development of cancer induced in the rat liver by a chemical carcinogen

APASL HCV guidelines of virus-eradicated patients by DAA on how to monitor HCC occurrence and HBV reactivation

In the direct-acting antiviral (DAA) era for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, sustained virological response (SVR) is very high, but close attention must be paid to the possible occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in patients with co-infection who achieved SVR in short term. HCC occurrence was more often observed in patients with previous HCC history. We found occurrence of HCC in 178 (29.6%) of 602 patients with previous HCC history (15.4 months mean follow-up post-DAA initiation) but, in contrast, in only 604 (1.3%) of 45,870 patients without previous HCC history (18.2 months mean follow-up). Thus, in these guidelines, we recommend the following: in patients with previous HCC history, surveillance at 4-month intervals for HCC by ultrasonography (US) and tumor markers should be performed. In patients without previous HCC history, surveillance at 6- to 12-month intervals for HCC including US is recommended until the long-term DAA treatment effects, especially for the resolution of liver fibrosis, are confirmed. This guideline also includes recommendations on how to follow-up patients who have been infected with both HCV and HBV. When HCV was eradicated in these HBsAg-positive patients or patients with previous HBV infection (anti-HBc and/or anti-HBs-positive), it was shown that HBV reactivation or HBV DNA reappearance was observed in 67 (41.4%) of 162 or 12 (0.9%) of 1317, respectively. For these co-infected patients, careful attention should be paid to HBV reactivation for 24 weeks post-treatment

Molecular Mechanisms Driving Progression of Liver Cirrhosis towards Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chronic Hepatitis B and C Infections: A Review

Almost all patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a major type of primary liver cancer, also have liver cirrhosis, the severity of which hampers effective treatment for HCC despite recent progress in the efficacy of anticancer drugs for advanced stages of HCC. Here, we review recent knowledge concerning the molecular mechanisms of liver cirrhosis and its progression to HCC from genetic and epigenomic points of view. Because ~70% of patients with HCC have hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, we focused on HBV- and HCV-associated HCC. The literature suggests that genetic and epigenetic factors, such as microRNAs, play a role in liver cirrhosis and its progression to HCC, and that HBV- and HCV-encoded proteins appear to be involved in hepatocarcinogenesis. Further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms, including immune checkpoints and molecular targets of kinase inhibitors, associated with liver cirrhosis and its progression to HCC

Full-Length Nucleotide Sequence of a Simian TT Virus Isolate Obtained from a Chimpanzee: Evidence for a New TT Virus-like Species

AbstractRecently, we identified TT virus (TTV) isolates from nonhuman primates and named them simian TTV (s-TTV). To characterize the genomic structure of these isolates in more detail, the full-length nucleotide sequence of the s-TTV isolate (designated s-TTV CH65-1), recovered from a chimpanzee born in West Africa, was amplified by nested PCR with inverted primers deduced from the untranslated region of s-TTV DNA. CH65-1 was composed of 3899 nucleotides (nt) and had two open reading frames (ORF) spanning 2295 nt (ORF1) and 402 nt (ORF2). The sequence had only 52.3% similarity to the prototype TA278 human isolate. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that CH65-1 was distinct from the human TTV isolates. These results suggested that s-TTV may represent a new TTV-like viral species or genus

Rapid Recovery from Acute Liver Failure Secondary to Pancreatoduodenectomy-Related Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis

This report describes a case of liver failure secondary to pancreatoduodenectomy and rapid recovery following treatment. A 68-year-old woman with cancer on the ampulla of Vater underwent surgery for pancreatoduodenectomy. The patient developed liver failure 3 months postsurgically. She was hospitalized after presenting with jaundice, hypoalbuminemia and decreased serum zinc. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen showed a reduction in CT attenuation values postoperatively. We suspected fatty liver due to impaired absorption caused by pancreatoduodenectomy. We initiated treatment with branched-chain amino acids and a zinc formulation orally. Trace elements were administered intravenously. Two months after treatment, there was a noticeable improvement in CT findings. The patient’s jaundice and hypoalbuminemia prompted a liver biopsy, which led to a diagnosis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis